Journalist John Corry Credited with Origin of 'Power Is an Aphrodisiac' Adage in 1970
Journalist John Corry is now credited with originating the adage, 'Power is one hell of an aphrodisiac,' in July 1970. This finding by Quote Investigator (QI) clarifies the historical attribution of the popular saying, which has often been mistakenly linked to figures like Henry Kissinger or Napoleon Bonaparte. Prior to Corry's 1970 article titled 'Washington, Sex, and Power' in 'Harper’s Magazine,' similar phrases existed, such as 'Fame is a potent aphrodisiac' used by Graham Greene in 1960 and John Gunther in 1966, and 'Class is a potent aphrodisiac' by William Styron in 1969. However, Corry's piece marked the first documented instance where 'power' was specifically identified as an aphrodisiac. His observation was subsequently paraphrased and popularized by syndicated columnist Art Buchwald on July 16, 1970, further embedding the concept into public discourse.
